By Becky Hardin
Published Jan 8, 2023
Kentucky Fried Chicken always makes me think of childhood and diving into the bucket to claim the crispiest, tastiest piece. The perfectly seasoned chicken with those 11 secret herbs and spices is now an easy recipe I can replicate at home. This KFC copycat recipe for crispy fried chicken is the ultimate comfort food and incredibly satisfying on cold winter nights!
I love recreating the nostalgic taste of Kentucky Fried Chicken anytime in my kitchen, especially to go with my crockpot mashed potatoes . Lucky for me, the Chicago Tribune leaked the original family recipe in 2016 and revealed the list of 11 secret herbs and spices that make it taste so good.
It might seem intimidating to deep fry chicken if you’ve never done it before, but it’s easier than I thought. This simple KFC fried chicken recipe is easy-peasy if you have a thermometer and a timer. It comes out finger-lickin good, just like the original!
Ingredients for KFC Fried Chicken
- Chicken: I use a whole chicken and break it down into 8 pieces to make it like a classic bucket of KFC. But you can fry any chicken pieces you want, including all breasts or thighs.
- Buttermilk: This tenderizes the chicken to make it extra juicy.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour as the base of the seasoned breading.
- Herbs & Spices: The original 11 herbs & spices are ground paprika, dry mustard, white pepper, ground ginger, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, celery salt, garlic powder, and salt & pepper.
- Oil: Canola oil or another high smoke point oil works best for deep frying.
Trademark Note : In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that this is a copycat recipe for an existing product. Kentucky Fried Chicken is a proprietary brand to which I want to acknowledge and give credit.
Tips for Success
- After marinating your chicken, pat it dry before breading it. This will help the flour stick better.
- I’ve found that it’s best not to overcrowd the pot while frying. This will reduce the oil temperature, leading to oily, soggy chicken. Always let the oil come back up to temperature (use a thermometer) before adding more chicken.
- Resist the urge to turn the chicken over until you see a golden brown line all the way around the sides of the chicken. This line tells you that the breading is evenly crispy.
- Place the chicken pieces in a warm oven to keep them crisp while you continue frying the rest of the chicken.
- Marinate the chicken pieces in buttermilk overnight in the refrigerator the day before you plan to fry the chicken for the most tender chicken!
- For gluten-free Kentucky fried chicken, swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover Kentucky fried chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the chicken pieces on a wire rack set in a baking sheet in a 400°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until 165°F internally.
Freeze KFC chicken tightly wrapped in aluminum foil and set in a Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I wouldn’t dare bring home a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken without mashed potatoes and all the sides, so of course I have to make my favorites at home to go with my copycat recipe! I get the coleslaw ready ahead of time, make some quick mac and cheese , whip up this creamy corn , and bake fresh buttermilk biscuits to finish it off. Trust me, it’s worth the effort to add the sides!
5-Star Review
“Love this recipe! It’s a family favorite in our house!” – Marlena
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1¾ cups buttermilk (see note)
- ▢ 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
- ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ▢ ¼ cup ground paprika
- ▢ 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- ▢ 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- ▢ 1 tablespoon white pepper
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- ▢ 2 teaspoons dried basil
- ▢ 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ▢ 1 teaspoon celery salt
- ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ Canola oil for frying
Video
Instructions
- Pour the buttermilk in a large bowl. 1¾ cups buttermilk
- Add in the chicken, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. 1 whole chicken
- Combine the flour and seasonings in a shallow dish. 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup ground paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon white pepper, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- In a deep fryer or large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat about 3-4 inches of oil to 350°F. Canola oil
- Remove one chicken piece from the buttermilk. Let the excess liquid drip off.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour, pressing it firmly into the dish to ensure the flour fully coats the piece.
- Gently drop the chicken piece into the oil and fry for 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towel.
- Repeat the dredging and frying steps for all of the chicken pieces, frying about 3-4 pieces at a time.
Equipment
- Deep Fryer OR
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Frying Thermometer
- Baking Sheet
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Becky’s Tips
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by measuring out 1¾ cups of milk, removing 1¾ tablespoons, and adding 1¾ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir well and let stand for 5 minutes before using.
- I like to use a whole chicken, but you can also use your favorite parts!
- For gluten-free Kentucky fried chicken, swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, peanut, or avocado.
- After marinating your chicken, pat it dry before breading it. This will help the flour stick better.
- Coat the chicken thoroughly with flour.
- Be sure not to overcrowd the pot. Overcrowding will reduce the oil temperature, leading to oily, soggy chicken.
- Always let the oil come back up to temperature before adding more chicken.
- Resist the urge to turn the chicken over until you see a golden brown line all the way around the sides of the chicken. This line tells you that the breading is evenly crispy.
- Place the chicken pieces in a warm oven to keep them crisp while you continue frying the rest of the chicken.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Kentucky Fried Chicken Step by Step
Marinate in Buttermilk: Cut 1 whole chicken into 8 pieces. Next, pour 1¾ cups of buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate for at least 1 hour in the fridge, or up to overnight.
Mix the Herbs & Spices: In a shallow dish, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of ground paprika, 2 tablespoons of kosher salt, 1 tablespoon of dry mustard, 1 tablespoon of white pepper, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, 2 teaspoons of dried basil, 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of celery salt, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.
Heat the Oil: In a deep fryer or large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat about 3-4 inches of canola oil to 350°F.
Dredge the Chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove a piece from the buttermilk and let the excess liquid drip off. Then dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, pressing it firmly into the dish to ensure the flour fully coats the piece.
Fry the Chicken: Gently drop the chicken piece into the hot oil and fry for 8-10 minutes. Transfer the fried chicken to a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towel. Then repeat the dredging and frying steps for all of the chicken pieces, frying about 3-4 pieces at a time.
According to the Chicago Tribune , the original recipe consists of 11 herbs and spices, including: salt, thyme, basil, oregano, celery salt, black pepper, dried mustard, paprika, garlic salt, ground ginger, and white pepper.
With the chicken breast side up, pull each leg away from the body, then slice through the skin between the breast and drumstick. Turn the chicken onto its side and bend each leg back until the thighbone pops out of its socket. Cut through the joint and skin to detach the leg completely, then pull each wing away from the body and cut through the joint. Lift up the chicken and cut down through the ribcage and then shoulder joints to separate the breast from the back. Place the breast skin side down. Split the center bone using a chopping motion, then slice through the meat and skin to separate it into 2 pieces. To divide the legs, turn each skin side down and cut through the joints along the white fat line to separate the thigh from the drumstick.
I recommend marinating the chicken overnight if you have time, but 1 hour is sufficient if you’re in a hurry.
If your heat is set too high, you’ll end up with chicken that has a burnt exterior but is still raw and uncooked inside. Be sure to use a thermometer to check your oil temperature often, and use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the meat.
If your heat is set too low, it can take too long for the chicken to fry, and it will become dense, oily, and soggy. Be sure to use a thermometer to check your oil temperature often, and don’t overload the Dutch oven with too many pieces of chicken at once.
Yes! Preheat your air fryer to 390°F and lay parchment along the bottom so that the chicken doesn’t stick. Place the chicken in the air fryer in a single layer with no pieces touching one another (you may have to fry in batches) and air fry for about 25 minutes, flipping once halfway, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
More Fried Chicken Recipes We Love!
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
Fried Chicken Breast
Air Fryer Fried Chicken
Fried Chicken Wings
Kentucky Fried Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Deep Fryer OR
- Dutch Oven
- Deep Frying Thermometer
- Baking Sheet
- Instant Read Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups buttermilk (see note)
- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup ground paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Pour the buttermilk in a large bowl. 1¾ cups buttermilk
- Add in the chicken, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. 1 whole chicken
- Combine the flour and seasonings in a shallow dish. 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup ground paprika, 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon dry mustard, 1 tablespoon white pepper, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon celery salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- In a deep fryer or large Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, heat about 3-4 inches of oil to 350°F. Canola oil
- Remove one chicken piece from the buttermilk. Let the excess liquid drip off.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour, pressing it firmly into the dish to ensure the flour fully coats the piece.
- Gently drop the chicken piece into the oil and fry for 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towel.
- Repeat the dredging and frying steps for all of the chicken pieces, frying about 3-4 pieces at a time.
Video
Notes
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by measuring out 1¾ cups of milk, removing 1¾ tablespoons, and adding 1¾ tablespoons of white vinegar or lemon juice. Stir well and let stand for 5 minutes before using.
- I like to use a whole chicken, but you can also use your favorite parts!
- For gluten-free Kentucky fried chicken, swap the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- You can use any neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable, peanut, or avocado.
- After marinating your chicken, pat it dry before breading it. This will help the flour stick better.
- Coat the chicken thoroughly with flour.
- Be sure not to overcrowd the pot. Overcrowding will reduce the oil temperature, leading to oily, soggy chicken.
- Always let the oil come back up to temperature before adding more chicken.
- Resist the urge to turn the chicken over until you see a golden brown line all the way around the sides of the chicken. This line tells you that the breading is evenly crispy.
- Place the chicken pieces in a warm oven to keep them crisp while you continue frying the rest of the chicken.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
